Memory foam

This is the soft, squishy material that's often used in pillows, mattresses, and even shoe insoles. Memory foam was originally made for NASA to help cushion astronauts during takeoff and landing.

Solar Panels

These are panels that can take energy from the sun and make it into electricity. Solar panels were first made for use on satellites and spacecraft, and now they're used all over the world to power homes and businesses.

Freeze-dried food

Astronauts can't exactly go to the grocery store when they're up in space, so they need food that can be stored for long periods of time. 

Freeze-drying removes all the moisture from food, making it lighter and easy to store. Now, you can buy freeze-dried food in camping stores and emergency kits back here on earth.

 Water filters

When you're in space, you can't just turn on a tap to get clean water. 

That's why NASA developed water filters that can remove bacteria and other contaminants (bad things) from water. 

These filters are now used in many parts of the world to make safe drinking water.

Scratch-resistant lenses

The lenses in your glasses or sunglasses might have a special coating that makes them resistant to scratches. 

This was originally developed for space helmets to protect them from getting scratched by things floating around in space.

So you have space travel to thank for your sunglasses!

Microwaves

The technology that makes microwaves work actually started as part of a space-related project. 

In the 1940s, a scientist named Percy Spencer was working on a radar system for the military when he noticed that a candy bar in his pocket had melted. 

He realized that the microwaves from the radar had caused the candy to heat up, and he went on to develop the first microwave oven. 

Today, microwaves are commonly used in kitchens all over the world to quickly heat up food.

Treadmills

Astronauts spend a long time in space, and they need to exercise to keep their muscles and bones healthy. 

But, exercise equipment can be bulky and heavy, which is a problem in space.  And there's isn't much room to move around either.

So special treadmills were made that astronauts can use in space. The treadmill is small and light, and it uses special harnesses to keep the astronauts from floating away while they're running.

Vertical farming

Vertical farming is a method of growing crops in stacked layers, using LED lighting and rainwater. 

This allows farmers to grow crops indoors, all year-round in small spaces. 

Vertical farming was actually first developed by NASA as a way to grow crops in space, where there is no soil and very little space. 

Today, vertical farming is used on Earth to grow crops in urban areas, where space is limited and traditional farming methods may not be possible.  

Head over to the vertical farming zone next to find out more about how this works!

Artificial limbs

Long ago, people made special things called prosthetics to help anyone who lost their arms or legs. But nowadays, prosthetics have become even more awesome! You know why? Because of space exploration!

When astronauts go to space, their bodies change because there's no gravity. Their bones and muscles can become weaker, making it hard for them to move when they come back to Earth.

To solve this problem, space programs, made robot arms and legs that astronauts can control with their thoughts.

NASA started working on this cool technology in the 1990s, and now we have amazing prosthetics on Earth too! They help people who need new arms or legs to move and do things they couldn't do before.

 In space, artificial limbs were made to help astronauts with no gravity. But now, they help people on Earth too!

Virtual Reality

Did you know that astronauts have a special way to practice working in space before they actually go there? It's called Virtual Reality, or VR for short. VR helps them learn all the cool things they need to do in space, like floating around and fixing things.

Before astronauts go to space, they have to train on Earth. They use special machines called simulators that make things feel like they're in space. It's like a special computer game that astronauts play to practice.

They can wear a special headset on their head that shows them a pretend version of the International Space Station (ISS), where they will live and work in space. It looks real, just like being in space!

They can pretend to grab things and move them around, just like they would in space. It helps them practice using real tools and doing important tasks they'll have to do in space.

They can even make things go wrong on purpose! It can create pretend emergencies like fires or broken equipment, so astronauts can practice what to do if something bad happens. This way, they know how to stay safe and handle any problems that might come up.

In Summary

These are just a few examples of how space exploration has led to some pretty cool inventions that we use every day!  There are loads more for you to find out about.